Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor 2024
Have you ever attended something that you loved and it ended, and you thought that you’d never have it back again? Odds are it never returned, and you just have those special memories. That’s how I felt about Dark Harbor at Long Beach’s Queen Mary. I attended in 2019 for the first time, not knowing it would be THE last time. The event shuttered with everything else in 2020, but other financial concerns bubbled to the surface not allowing this great haunted attraction to come back…UNTIL NOW. Please jump to the TLDR if that’s for you, but I encourage you to read our FULL review of the 2024 Return of Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor presented by none other than 13th Floor Entertainment. Tickets are on sale now through November!
If you know me, you know I have big cruise girl energy. Pair that with a haunted cruise liner? The Queen Mary is the stuff dreams are made of for a girl like me. And take that a step further and give me a HAUNTED ATTRACTION ABOARD THAT GHOST SHIP? Literally say no more. But I’ll be saying a lot more here because I imagine you need a bit more to fully sell you.
Dark Harbor is known for its elaborate production, special effects, and the use of the Queen Mary's actual environment, which is rumored to be haunted, adding an extra layer of authenticity to the scares. I was so sad when this shuttered, and all the more excited when the folks who brought us events like LA Haunted Hayride and Shaqtoberfest (who sacrificed himself so Dark Harbor could live again) announced they were bringing back the iconic event for the 2024 haunt season. And I was lucky enough to be invited as media so I could get a very close up look at all that there is to do!
Let’s just cut right to the chase - the good bathrooms are on the ship near where they do the Seance show. Get there hella early to park if you might be upset by prolonged wait times to get into the parking areas and the potential to need shuttled from a further away lot. There is no vegan food unfortunately, other than fries and maybe corn on the cob, so plan accordingly. The drinks are very good and there are fish bowls, so maybe don’t worry about the parking and just rideshare. The best mazes are on the ship and the ship is OLD therefore I don’t know how they would maintain production level for ADA accessibility, but their website does say they have options; be warned there are quite a bit of stairs! Some mazes do have CRAWLING elements, just stay calm and ask to locate the walk option if you don’t want to participate in that element. If you like spooky things and history, just pay what you need to pay to get into the speakeasy aboard the ship, either inside the Infirmary maze or located by the Seance show. If it’s busy when you are there, fully skip the Breakout maze and spend your time on the other mazes + the speakeasies. We were there on Sunday, September 29th and it was a very small crowd. And lastly, I would actually recommend the Seance show if you are a theater kid and/or like unique theater experiences - runtime is only about 10 minutes so it won’t eat your night.
There is some room for improvement to the event overall, but I feel like the folks at 13th Floor were really mindful both about Dark Harbor of years gone by, and what made it so special, and also of re-utilizing some Shaqtoberfest set pieces that people might recognize and feel excited to see again. I really do feel that they outdid themselves with some of these unique haunt features inside the mazes, they felt so atmospheric and cool and SCARY. They also brought back the original cast of DH characters that are tied to true Queen Mary lore and also built upon them, setting up the event for future growth and success. If you love going deep into haunt lore, definitely check out the opening ceremony that they do nightly at 8:08pm at the shipyard stage!
Why You Might Enjoy It:
Unique Location: The Queen Mary is already known for its haunted history, and the setting itself, being a haunted ocean liner, adds to the creepy atmosphere in a way that's hard to replicate at other haunted houses.
Elaborate Mazes: Most of the mazes are quite detailed, with impressive set designs and special effects specific to the ship. Many of them are spread throughout the ship’s haunted areas, enhancing the spookiness. They really put a lot of thought into the mazes and utilized some incredibly unique haunt features that I had never experienced before and that I won’t soon forget.
Great for Horror Fans: If you love horror or Halloween-themed events, Dark Harbor does a good job of blending traditional haunted house elements with the actual haunted history of the ship.
Scare Actors and Interactivity: The actors are highly engaging, often breaking the fourth wall, interacting with guests, and making each walk-through unique.
Atmosphere: Even outside the mazes, the overall atmosphere with themed bars (especially in the hidden speakeasies), food, and live entertainment contributes to the fun, spooky vibe.
TLDR
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TLDR 〰️
Boo’s Review:
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 3
Atmosphere Rating: 3.5
Vegan Food Rating: 0
Costume & Makeup Rating: 4
Scare Actor/Cast Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 3.5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 1.5
Value for Money Rating: 4
Individual Attraction Name: Lullaby
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3.5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2
Individual Attraction Name: Infirmary
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 4
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4.5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2
Individual Attraction Name: Feast
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 3
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 1
Individual Attraction Name: Big Top Terror
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 3.5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 3
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 1
Individual Attraction Name: Breakout/On the Run
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 1.5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: .5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 1.5
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 0
Killer K8’s Review:
Overall Haunted Attraction Rating: 4
Atmosphere Rating: 4
Vegan Food Rating: 0
Costume & Makeup Rating: 4
Scare Actor/Cast Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2
Value for Money Rating: 3
Individual Attraction Name: Lullaby
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 4
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4.5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2.5
Individual Attraction Name: Infirmary
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3.5
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 3
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 4
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 2.5
Individual Attraction Name: Feast
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 4
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 3
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 1
Individual Attraction Name: Big Top Terror
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 3
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 3
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 3
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 1.5
Individual Attraction Name: Breakout/On the Run
Individual Attraction Overall Rating: 2
Character & Story Cohesion Rating: 1.5
Set Design & Special Effects Rating: 2
Scare/Intensity Factor Rating: 0
